


A life that's just begun

by TinyNinjaQueen



Category: Gentleman Jack (TV)
Genre: AwkwardAnneLister, Bad Cooking, Comfort, DisasterGays, Drawing, F/F, Flirting, Fluff, GalsBeingPals, Jealousy, Mutual Pining, Sharing Clothes, Sharing a Bed, Sleepy Cuddles, Storms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-06
Updated: 2019-10-29
Packaged: 2020-11-26 02:14:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20922482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TinyNinjaQueen/pseuds/TinyNinjaQueen
Summary: Anne Lister a successful businesswoman and landowner. Women adore her and men tremble before her.She lives a life which will become legend.A life which is almost ended when she sees a pretty girl...Or has it just begun?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer; I own nothing. An amalgamation of the show and the real Anne Lister TM as well as situations based purely on my own whimsy. Do I care for historical accuracy, or accuracy in general; no. But if you’re looking for a fun approximation of what might have happened then by all means enjoy.

Anne Lister a successful businesswoman and landowner. Women adore her and men tremble before her. 

She lives a life which will become legend.

A life which is almost ended when she sees a pretty girl.

It is early spring and the hedgerows that shield the estate are growing gangly and wild. 

She’s out with some of the local guys slashing at the unruly bushes. Balanced precariously on a ladder she is stretched up to her full hight a thick blade in her hand, sending cascades of thorny twigs down to the earth. 

She pauses to wipe her brow looking out to the lane and catches sight of the most beautiful women she’s ever seen. 

Perfectly coiled blonde hair sat beneath a wide blue bonnet, Anne stilled mid wipe, the women looked up, straight to where Anne was staring, frozen behind the hedgerow; and she smiled. 

The most beautiful perfect smile Anne thought she had ever seen. 

Her knees weakened and she lost her purchase on the step falling backwards onto the cold earth. Her back thumped hard, winding her, shouts came from all about and she groggily opened her eyes, thats a lot of fuss for a little fall she thought huffily; till her eyes focused on the object pinned to the ground a centimetre from her head, its blade glinting mockingly. 

Suddenly the woman’s face appeared above her, whips of gold freed from their rolls in the commotion. An angel Anne thought dreamily looking up at the ethereal beauty with her halo of hair.

“Who are you” she asked wistfully

“Ann” the angel replied.

“Anne. That’s my name” Anne giggled before promptly passing out.

…

Anne awoke on her couch, her head resting on the firm cushion, a cool hand resting gently on her forehead. She blinked her eyes open, the angel; Ann, was kneeling beside her eyes wide with concern - such pretty eyes Anne mused.

“Oh, thank goodness you’re awake. I was so worried. I would never forgive myself if something happened because I’d startled you” Ann said fretfully 

Anne felt a blush rise to her cheeks, remembering just how the ‘startling’ had occurred. She had gone weak in the knees like a silly school girl over a crush. She was the one who was supposed to make girls faint not the other way round she thought brusquely and rushed to sit up. 

Smacking right into Ann’s head.

“Oh sorry. Oh I’m sorry” she rambled reaching out to Ann who was rubbing her head and wincing. 

“It’s okay” Ann reassured through features scrunched in pain. 

“Oh no, I didn’t think. I’m so sorry” 

“No I’m sorry, I should never have lent over” 

The women rambled their apologies incoherently before falling, as one, into silence. At the coordinated lapse they both caught eyes again and began giggling which led to full on gasping for breath laughter while both held their aching heads against the unstoppable rumble.

Smiling and catching her breath Anne swung her legs to the floor and moved to a sitting position, reaching out to help Ann onto the couch beside her. 

When seated Ann made no move to extricate her hand and Anne let it stay tucked within her own. 

“Oh we’ve no luck” Ann said jokingly

“I think we make our own luck” Anne replied, her gaze heavy and suggestive. 

With the blush that rose to Ann’s cheeks Anne felt her confidence rise.

“I haven’t seen you around here before” she purred. 

“Oh, I’m new to town. Not that someone like you would have noticed someone like me” Ann said looking away.

“Oh, I wouldn’t be too sure of that; you’re quite a sight” Anne replied smoothly, then, remembering her first sight of Ann felt all her well practiced game dissipate; her blush rising to meet Ann’s.

A roll of thunder came from outside the window taking the focus off Anne’s gay panic. 

Ann jumped in her seat and clenched her hands into fists. Both hands. Including the one that was currently curled in Anne’s hand cutting off her circulation. Before she could begin her rambling apologies Anne squeezed back.

“It’s okay, you’re safe here” Anne reassured softly, rubbing comforting circles on the back of Ann’s hand as rain began to batter against the windows. 

Her trusty weather tools had warned her to expect a storm but even she hadn’t thought it would hit this quickly. She’d sent Marion out that morning to gather supplies. 

Oh no Marion. 

Her sister had taken the carriage with her father and aunt to town. She had thought it would be good for them to get out but all she’d done was put them straight in the path of a storm. 

“My family; are they back” Anne said urgently. 

“No, I’m sorry. No one is here. Even the servants have left.”

“What!” Anne said hotly getting to her feet “Where on earth have they gone”

“Those that were here left to get you a doctor and send messages to your family”

Anne crossed to the window, drawing back the curtain and looking out at the wall of rain, thunder rumbled menacingly across the hills. 

She drew a breath in catastrophising and spiralling out over the safety of her family and staff. 

From behind her she heard soft sobbing. 

Drawing her own unraveled thoughts in and shoving them down she turned and went to the other woman. Kneeling beside her she reached out awkwardly and rubbed her shoulder.

“It’s okay” she said vaguely, uncertain of what the other woman was so upset over. 

“It’s all my fault” Ann cried between breaths “All of those people out there in danger because I got you hurt” 

“No, no, no, no. Baby it’s not your fault. You didn’t do anything wrong.” Anne soothed “And they’re not in danger; they’ll be safe inside at the town by now” with her words Anne felt her own worries reassured.

Ann sniffled looking up at her and nodded 

“Okay?” Anne asked. 

‘Okay” Ann replied wetly, rubbing away her tears embarrassed.

‘Hey” Anne said gently, covering her hand with her own and stilling the frantic motion before guiding it away from her face and resuming it’s task, gently brushing the tears from her face.

‘Let’s get you something to eat huh” Anne said, turning to call upon her staff before realising… there are no staff. No problem, she thought, how hard I can it be to cook...

Hard.

So very hard.

...

Anne Lister was covered, head to toe, in flour. It was in her nose, in her ears and all over the kitchen floor. 

Ann Walker sat perched on a counter a safe distance away watching the whole thing with a mixture of amusement and horror.

“I don’t know what you do with it!” Anne shouted banging her hands on the table into the soggy blob of flour and water that did not in the slightest resemble dough. 

Ann bit her lip “maybe it needs more water” she suggested unhelpfully.

‘Ugh this is just…ugh” Anne growled, pacing round the table to glare at the gooey mess from another angle.

Ann felt her chest expand as though her heart were floating at the sight of the famed Anne Lister from Shibbdon Hall, glaring down a pool of watery dough. She felt as though this were the most perfect moment in the world and her nails dug down into the old wood beneath her as she subconsciously clung onto the moment.

And then Anne looked away from her stare off with the -never going to be bread- and up at Ann and her frown melted away into the biggest smile and Ann decided that she was wrong; this is the most perfect moment. 

Anne chucked “I think the bread has bested me” she admitted “want to rummage and see if you can find something else for us to eat?” 

Ann nodded, hopping down and over to the pantry she lent in and pulled out some apples and cheeses and lay them on a plate. 

Anne came over to help and Ann was reminded of the flour that coated every inch of the other woman’s skin. 

She reached up and brushed some off her cheek, marvelling at the soft warm skin that lay beneath. 

Anne looked down at her through her lashes, with each blink flour floated down like spirals of snow. 

Ann’s heart beat a mile a minute and she felt the odd new sensation grip her chest; so she pulled away, laughing lightly at nothing, in the act of grabbing a towel.

“Let me help” she said, the rough kitchen rag replacing the task of her hands as she carefully brushed the flour from her skin. 

She focused intently on her task trying to distract herself from the closeness to the woman before her, both separate from and intimately aware of every twitch of her cheek, the pull of her smile as she ran the cloth delicately over her lips. How would they feel she wondered, mindlessly her grip shifted, allowing her pinkie to ghost behind the path of the cloth. Anne shivered, she shivered.

“All done” she said with faux brightness, stepping back again and smiling nervously. 

“Thanks” Anne replied hoarsely

Anne cleared her throat “I, um, I’m going to go wash up” she said, indicating her flour covered clothes before grabbing a bucket of water and disappearing upstairs. 

Of course, Ann thought, she would need to wash, after all that flour had likely worked its way beneath her clothes. Her mind ran ahead of her to the scene that would entail and for the very first time in her life Ann Walker imagined what a woman, ney, another person, would look like under their clothes.

Ann blushed and tried very hard not to think of that-

-and failed. 

…

As Anne washed off the remnants of her failed culinary attempt she thought back to the day’s start. At the start of the day she hadn’t known Ann Walker, the simple statement seemed impossible to her, in just a few hours Ann had woven herself into every fibre of her being, she felt a sense of completeness, like when she’d first picked up a pen and started her journal it had fit into her life like it was always supposed to be there. A part of the person she was destined to become. Miss Walker was like that; inevitable. 

But, unlike her journal, Ann was a person; and as such could get up and leave whenever she pleased-just as so many other’s had, but this wasn’t some boarding school fling, this was love as Anne had never known it before (and never would again). As much as Anne wanted to keep Ann locked up safe with her journal she knew she couldn’t, she would have to let her go. The thought alone brought tears swelling in her eyes. No, she decided, to lose her would be too painful; so she must never have her. Her plan to cease all flirtation with the beautiful Miss Walker was cemented and she purposefully pulled on new clothes and strode downstairs.

…

They took their meal to the parlour and ate lounging on the sofa’s, the turmoil outside making the inside seem warm and intimate allowing the usual formalities to melt away hidden from the outside world.

“So what do you like to do” Anne asked. 

“Oh, I don’t know really” Ann replied nervously, eager to impress her new friend. 

“Come on there must be something”

“I suppose I like going to the Lake District with my cousin”

“What do you like about it?”

“I like the space, the escape” 

“Yes!” Anne replied leaning forward, propping her arm on her knee and gesturing excitedly with the other “Travel is one of my great passions. Other people don’t understand the pull, the attraction but you’ve got it in one, the escape-that’s the thrill of it” 

Ann glowed at her words, the unknown feeling of not only being listened to but also affirmed sending a rush through her. With delight she noticed Anne had paused and was looking at her expectantly as if waiting for her to speak, she felt nerves creep in, keen to keep Anne’s interest.

“Have you been many places then?” She asked shifting the focus from herself. 

Anne nodded enthusing on the places she had visited on her travels. Her passionate tale gave Ann an opportunity to sit back and observe, her fingers twitched restlessly for her pencils desperate to immortalise the force of nature before her, to trace every line of her gestures as they flow seamlessly to the next. 

Breathless from her excitement Anne was looking at her with that same expectancy, waiting to hear her opinion. What was it that she had asked? Something to do with Italy? 

“Oh, I um, I’ve never been” Ann said embarrassed at her lack of worldliness

“Oh you must visit. You should come with me at Easter, you’ll just love it there” Anne encouraged undeterred.

“I wouldn’t want to get in the way”

“Nonsense. I can’t think of a single person I would rather be there with”

Ann struggled to believe what Anne was saying, but the earnestness in Anne’s eyes emboldened Ann and she asked “I don’t suppose you have any art supplies here?”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I’ve been going on and on, of course you’d want something to do” Anne apologised, shifting through a draw to her left she brought out some paper and pencils and handed them over.

“No” Ann assured “I’ve loved hearing from you I just…” she dipped her head and fought through her blush “you just looked so beautiful I needed to draw you. If that’s okay”

“Oh” it was Anne’s turn to blush “yes, I suppose that would be alright” 

Ann bit her lip, arranging her papers and looking up to Anne who was sitting stiffly blotches of red covering her usually confident features. Ann laughed and tried to put Anne back at ease; “So tell me more about Italy, where would you take me”

“Well,” Anne began, and with each word she grew more at ease, falling into her descriptions and the promise of what could be. Ann was entranced her hand moving with well practised movements trying to catch the expressions as they played across Anne’s features, replying to Anne’s questions and comments till she forgot to try and impress her and the conversation flowed like two streams rushing into a lake, their thoughts mingling into one as they sought to find out everything about the other.

They spoke well into the evening as the filtered light through the clouds faded to black and the parlour was lit with the soft glow of the lamps, slowly lulling them to sleepiness till they had no choice but to reluctantly part for bed.

…

During the day with Anne by her side Ann had barely noticed the storm that would usually terrify her but now on her own in this unfamiliar bedroom her old fears returned. 

Every lash of the rain on the glass shot straight to her spine each roll of thunder bringing the threat closer, terrified she chanted each second between peals under her breath. 

Her mind raced; Maybe she could go find Anne? She could suggest a nightcap?-no Anne would see through it and think her silly and weak. 

She wrested with the decision as the thunder rumbled closer till a flash of lighting sent her flying from the bed, she was across the hall knocking on the door before she could talk herself out of it. 

Anne opened the door, groggily taking in the woman in front of her. 

“I, um, I was thinking, well wondering, if maybe, you don’t have to, but maybe you’d like a nightcap, a nightcap with me, because, um because it’s cold” Ann jabbered. 

Anne blinked, her sleep weary brain struggling to make sense of the words flying out of her new friends mouth.

A bolt of lightning lit up the hall and Ann startled, and Anne finally caught up. 

“Oh. It’s too late for a nightcap…” and before Ann’s shoulders could droop rushed on “but you’re right it is too cold, would you like to stay with me tonight, for warmth”

Ann smiled and nodded gratefully “If you wouldn’t mind”

Anne stood back allowing Ann to enter, she observed her quietly as she took in the room eyes flitting over the details of her most intimate space. 

All of Anne’s drowsiness dissipated, she felt laid bare wondering what Ann must think of her, the sparse functional decor, the journal laying teasingly on the nightstand. She fought the urge to shove it away in the draw.

The mere sight of the woman in her room spurred her traitorous heart to hope, a flash of a future she wouldn’t dare to dream, a dream where this could be their room not only hers, where Ann was not a stranger to be pushed away but a friend, a companion; a wife. 

She pushed the thought away before her heart could cling to it, Miss Walker was just scared from the storm, that is the only reason she was in her room and the only reason she would ever be Anne thought firmly. 

Anne looked to the chair and wondered just how uncomfortable it would be to sleep in before remembering their pretence was warmth and she could hardly provide that from the chair so she strode to the bed and lay underneath the covers before her body could betray her awkwardness. 

Ann gave a small smile and made her way nervously to the bed. Anne focused intently on tugging a string from her quilt to avoid ogling the other women in her oh so thin nightdress. She felt the dip of the mattress beside her and heard she shuffling of blankets as Ann lay down beside her. Despite her stiff stillness every sense within her was straining to take in the woman beside her. 

Don’t be weird, don’t be weird, don’t be weird, Anne chanted to herself trying to think of a way to break the tension. 

All her well practised charm felt so superficial and far away with the enormity of what she was feeling for the other woman and her vow not to step over that line. 

In the end it was not Anne who broke the barrier between them but Ann...

Shifting to her side Ann slipped her arm over Anne’s waist and rested her head tentatively on Anne’s chest. She lay perfectly still waiting for the other woman to react. 

Anne’s mind exploded, every barrier she had put up came crashing down and she knew whatever the nature of their relationship she could never ever survive without her again. The woman who fit so perfectly into her side it was as if she had been made just to hold her, the woman’s whose thundering heart matched the pace of her own promising that maybe, just maybe she might feel the same way. 

After a second she let her body relax, feeling as Ann’s followed suit; un-tensing and drawing herself even closer one leg shifting over Anne’s and anchoring them together. 

Two bodies as close as one keeping each other warm on a cold cold night.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay I wrote another chapter! Thank you for all your encouragement and I'm glad you wanted more. Let me know what you think :)

There came a frantic hammering on the door 

“Miss Lister, Miss Lister, are you in there?”

Anne jolted awake, jostling the sleeping figure in her arms. Ann moaned sleepily and snuggled closer. 

“Miss Lister!” The insistent voice continued, the door handle was tentatively twisted 

“Don’t come in!” She answered shortly, hoping the maid would get the message and leave her in peace. 

She didn’t.

“Ma’am your family is stuck in the town; their carriage was destroyed and their groom injured in the storm” 

Anne groaned “Thank you Eugenie, I will deal with it in a moment”

“I will help you dress” Eugenie replied, turning the handle fully.

“No!” Anne shouted “I will dress myself” 

The door handle stayed turned for a moment as Eugenie stood in confusion before she stomped off, grumbling in French under her breath. 

Ann, awakened by all the commotion, looked up at Anne from under her lashes and bit her lip. 

“Hello” she whispered, wonder evident in her voice.

“Good morning” Anne replied. Risking the fragile unknown boundary between them she brushed Ann’s bed mussed curls behind her ear. Ann sighed softly and snuggled closer, encouraged Anne continued the motion combing her wild hair with gentle fingers. 

Eugenie stomped pointedly from outside the door, conveying her impatience with little subtlety.

“I think we’d better get dressed” Ann groaned

Anne reluctantly disengaged herself from the other woman’s embrace and crossed over to the wardrobe; pulling out a sensible outfit. She could feel Ann’s gaze like a fire burning at her back, tingling at her skin and setting her heart racing. Resisting the urge to turn around she tried to get changed. 

Tried being the operative word. 

After struggling with her corset strings for what seemed like an age she felt warm hands move to cover her own, which were twisted awkwardly behind her back. 

“Need a hand with that” came the silken voice from behind.

Anne hummed in reply to cover her moan.

Delicate fingers wove through her own, untangling them from the strings and threading them properly. The firm pressure hugging her ribs trapped in the rising butterflies which had burst from their long dormant cocoons into a flurry of life. 

Anne tried to focus on anything but the sensation of hands skimming her skin. She couldn’t yet trust this moment, this relationship, enough to relax into it.

All too soon it was over and Ann stepped back. 

Reluctantly Anne let go of the moment and turned, a soft gasp slipped from her lips before she could stop herself, she had forgotten the state of undress Ann was in and the sight of her in unadulterated domesticity with bare feet her white nightie glowing in the early morning rays. 

Ann laughed at her reaction, her hair like a strand of spun gold as she self-consciously tucked it behind her ear. 

Anne had believed in God all her life, but in that moment she had a sense of divinity so profound it re-centred her whole existence.

Ann blushed at her heavy gaze 

“I don’t suppose you have anything I could wear?” She asked shyly.

“Yes. Of course” Anne blustered, turning and busying herself with the draws. Pulling out the girliest thing she could find she offered it awkwardly to Ann, who smiled and nodded, twisting her hands uncertainly. Anne realised that Ann couldn’t dress herself anymore than she herself could, so tentatively she walked over and began to dress her. She kept her movements brief and functional and avoided looking at the creamy expanse of skin as she helped Ann into the dress.

She had thought herself overwhelmed by the sight of Ann in her nightwear but as she stepped back and saw the beautiful woman in her own clothes she felt something monumental wash over her. A sense of awe and pride, not quite possession but something else… belonging.

Anne Lister found herself experiencing something she rarely had before, she was speechless. 

Ann smiled her little smile, the one that said I know you’re looking and I’m glad you are, and shimmied a little lifting the long skirts off the floor. 

“Shall we head off” she offered

Anne could only nod. Marching to the door and opening it wordlessly for Ann to pass. 

They snuck quietly to the front door, disguising their joint exit from the bedroom. When Anne was confident they appeared respectfully separate she called for Eugenie, making only the barest of introductions;

“This is Ann Walker, she took shelter here in the storm.”,

Before making her way to the carriage and hoisting herself into the grooms seat.

“You aren’t going to drive that yourself are you” Ann asked in horror.

“Who else would you expect to drive, Eugenie?” She asked teasingly 

At the mention Eugenie looked at the horses and blanched, shuffling quickly into the carriage in response. 

Anne grinned down at Ann “You’re welcome to ride up front with me” she offered.

Ann felt a thrill at the suggestion, and as much as her well practised caution told her no she found herself accepting the offered hand and being pulled up behind the horses.

They shared an elated grin before Anne shook the reigns and they were off, bouncing along the rock strewn paths. With every jostle and bump they moved as one, pressed tightly together in the small seat. 

…

After flying down the storm slicked roads they came to a skidding halt into the centre of town. 

At once Marion came rushing out of the tavern to meet them, her words greeting them as a fast stream 

“Anne there you are. Do not tell me you drove the coach yourself. And who is this. Please don’t tell me you dragged this poor girl into your chaos” 

“I was willingly dragged” Ann countered, towing a wink back to Anne before hopping to the ground, silencing Marion’s outburst. 

The long folds of the dress dropped heavily to the muddy ground. She tried in vain to hoist them out of the mud but as each corner rose another would fall until the entire bottom rim was coated in mud and she dropped them in defeat. She looked back at Anne her face full of apologies but Anne nearly laughed at the scene 

“I always hated that one anyway” she reassured

“Hey!” Marion protested “I bought you that dress!” 

Anne offered a guilty shrug and dropped to the ground beside Ann and hustled them all into the tavern before her sister could start up again with her fussing. Eugenie followed gingerly picking her way through the muck distain clear on her face.

Marion flounced into the tavern, already so done with her sisters antics, her mood not helped by the night spent in the cold tavern surrounded by dirty strangers.  
“Anne” her aunt called out cheerily, getting to her feet and pulling Anne into a warm hug. Her father offered a stiff pat on the shoulder full of the same amount of love. 

Anne fussed over her relatives and the various tenants who had taken shelter in the tavern ensuring they were safe, happy and well cared for while Ann watched with a tender smile.“Annie” came an unwelcome voice from behind as Mr Ainswoth prowled towards her. She turned with a tight smile. 

“Mr Ainsworth” she greeted curtly. 

He reached over and gave her a suffocating hug.

Anne looked over and caught sight of the two of them embracing. Jealousy stung in her chest and at her eyes as her long standing barriers sprung back up, walling away the memories of what had passed between them. 

“Right. Let’s be off then” She said definitively to her family, striding towards the door, not allowing herself to glance back at Ann, she feared that if she did her heart would shatter and she would never be able to leave. If she had she might have noticed the grimace as Ann pulled away from the man, or her longing gaze at Anne’s retreating figure. 

But she didn’t look back. Instead she shepherded her family and servants into the carriage and took her seat swiftly in the drivers position. She set off at a brutal pace, allowing the rush of wind whipping through her hair to lift her heart ever so slightly as she ran, both mentally and physically, from the source of her heart ache.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've used the boldness of Ann from the final episode of the series so she may seem a little OOC but it's because I've reduced the trauma she experienced and general homophobia of the era as I did not feel I could cover the topic appropriately while maintaining the tone of the fic so just pretend that the world is a nicer place.

There came a thunderous banging at the door. The doorman recoiled, before moving towards the door as slowly as he could manage. Anne pushed past him, rolling her eyes at his caution. Straightening her clothes she paused to compose herself before opening the door to the angry visitor. 

Ann stood outside her sweet face scrunched in annoyance. Anne raised her eye brows, surprised that the dainty woman could make such a commotion. 

“Hello Ann.” she said politely confused. 

“How dare you leave without word.” Ann huffed, her cheeks colouring as she realised her volume, she checked herself “Sorry. I just mean. You left me alone without a word. I thought we were closer than that, I thought we were, friends.”

“I hardly left you alone, you seemed to be thoroughly occupied with a certain gentleman.”

“What” Anne said incredulously “Mr Ainsworth? Hardly. He is my friends husband, and I most certainly did not appreciate being left alone with him.” 

“Ah. Sorry. I. I suppose I was just a little unsettled by the sight of you so close with him.” 

“You could have asked instead of running out of there like a child - what do you mean unsettled, why would you care who I’m close with?”

“Well. Well I just thought we were... close. And when I thought you were involved with Mr Ainsworth, I suppose I was, well I was jealous.”

“Jealous?” Ann said cautiously “of Mr Ainsworth... because you thought we were involved?”

Anne blushed “well I suppose.”

A mischievous smile curled at Ann’s lip and she took a step forward. 

“Now what would you have to be jealous of?” 

Anne’s swallow gave her away.

Glancing behind Anne, Ann checked that the hall was clear and the doorman absent before leaning up on her toes and pressing a kiss to her lips. She pulled back, her eyes twinkling. 

“Now I wouldn’t do something like that with Mr Ainsworth.”

Anne groaned “Please. Please. Don’t talk about him right now.” she said pushing forward and capturing Ann’s lips. She could feel Ann’s smile through the kiss and felt her spirit soar. 

A noise from further back in the house startled them and the broke apart, glancing shiftily around like teenagers. The grins on their faces a testament to their shared secret. 

Anne tugged on her hand and the two woman made their way towards the grand staircase. 

Just before they could reach it a figure stepped in their path. 

...

“Oh lovely your friend is here. I was just coming to tell you that lunch has been served; but I’m sure there will be enough for an extra space.” Marion said warmly 

“Marion as I’ve told you before I don’t eat lunch.” Anne said impatiently. 

“Yes well not everything’s about you. Did you stop and think that your friend might want to eat.”

“Oh no, I’m not hungry.” Ann quickly denied, at her declaration her stomach grumbled loudly, protesting vehemently against the statement. 

“Nonsense.” said Marion rightly and ushered the two woman into the dining room. 

The women rushed to eat, shovelling in the food as fast as was socially acceptable, desperate to resume their previous ‘activities’.

Marion chortled “See I knew you two were hungry.”

Anne scowled around her mouthful but didn’t reply.

“So Ann, tell us about yourself.” Marion carried on blithely. 

Ann quickly chewed her food trying to quickly swallow, red faced she looked to Anne for help. 

“She lives down the lane at Crow’s nest, we met yesterday and she took shelter here during the storm.” Anne said shortly.

“Oh yes,” Marion hummed “that little fall you had, we were all ever so worried.”

Anne rolled her eyes and took a swig from her cup.

Ann nodded earnestly, looking up at Anne through fluttering eyelashes “You gave me quite the scare.”

Anne’s annoyance softened and she replied “I’m sorry it frightened you, but honestly I am fine.”

“Yes of course you are, you had Miss Walker to attend to you.” Marion said kindly.

Ann’s eyes twinkled as they held Anne’s gaze, her smile turning playful. 

“Indeed.” Anne agreed through a steady blush.

Marion looked between the two women confused at the heavy tension in the air, after a moment she clocked it and sucked a surprised breath in suddenly attuned to the furtive glances the pair were sharing. She cleared her throat and pushed the food around her plate searching for a way to excuse herself.

“I, urm, forgot that I had plans to lunch elsewhere so I, urm, I’m just going to go.” She said standing so abruptly she knocked the chair back, quickly she righted it and took her leave, shooting a knowing look at Anne as she closed the door behind her. 

Suddenly alone the two women felt the potential of the situation build upon them striking them with nerves. They ate their meals in small bites, shooting glances at each other. Their overwhelming desire for each other tussled with the newness of the relationship. They had known each other for barely a day but each felt ready to give all that they were to the other person, their own learnt cautions drifting away to the recklessness of new love. 

When the last morsels of their plates and excuses were gone they were forced to confront the elephant in the room. 

“So…” Ann said shyly, innuendo hanging in the air.

“Yeah…” Anne replied answering her unasked question.

Their eyes searching each other as they shifted infinitesimally closer. Ann’s chin tilted up, her lips parting slightly as she shuffled to the edge of her chair, bringing herself nose to nose with Anne. 

Anne’s eyes widened, her body feeling weightless with potential. Gently she nudged Ann’s nose with her own, testing that she had interpreted right, when Ann tilted her face closer in response Anne closed the distance brushing her lips again Ann’s as lightly as a summers breeze. Ann pushed forward eagerly deepening the kiss and running her hand up, gently caressing her waist and collar bone before curling it around the back of her neck, pulling her closer.

The door burst open and the pair broke apart just in time though their rosey cheeks and heavy breathing betrayed their ‘activities’. Plausible deniability was all that was needed for the loyal household staff and the footman cleared his throat;

“Apologies Miss Lister, I was just coming to inform you that the horse has lost a shoe”

Anne growled and stood, offering her hand to help Ann up and looking apologetically at her before striding down to sort the situation. 

...

The horse stood fretfully in the yard.

Ann went gently over to it, laying a soothing hand upon its nose, it leaned its head into her palm and quieted. 

A servant approached her and she directed them to call for a farrier and another to make the horse comfortable while it waits. Ordering the household with a sweet and confident manner.

Anne was overcome with emotion at the scene; Ann running the household as her own. The rightness of it all tightened her chest and she forgot to breathe, imagining that she and Ann could make a home here. The domesticity making her heart swell.

Taking it’s bridle Ann headed over to the stable with a love struck Anne Lister trailing behind her.

“The way you handled that was just… incredible.” Anne said breathlessly.

Ann hunched her shoulders self consciously “Oh, it was nothing really, I’m useless mostly.”

“You shouldn’t have such a poor opinion of yourself.” Anne protested 

“I think I’ve just been sick for so long so I’m kind of used to people treating me like an invalid.”

“Well you don’t seem very invalid to me.” Anne reassured “You’re frankly the most amazing woman I’ve ever met and I find myself inexplicably drawn to you.”

Ann busied herself with hanging the bridle on it’s peg, blaming the warmth of the barn for the heat creeping up her neck. Her desire for the other woman grew, she felt the intense need to have and to keep her, to possess her body and soul.

Taking a steadying breath win she turned to face the other woman. The dying evening light filtering through the high window illuminated her in a fierce glow, drawing her features into contrast and making her seem, to Ann at least, ethereally beautiful. 

Her hesitation gone Ann surged across the barn to meet her, bumping against her lips in a messy kiss, the force of her exuberance sending them both tumbling backwards into the hay. 

The force of the fall caused them to pull back, holding each other, Anne traced Ann’s features with her thumb, marvelling at the woman before her. With a grin Ann lent down and recaptured her lips. She felt both far off, wrapped up in the enormity of another woman’s lips on hers and the surging sensations in her body, and intimately caught up in the moment.

So caught up in fact - that she missed the footsteps leading up to the door and the creek as it opened. 

She did not however, miss the gasp of surprise as Marion walked in on them in a situation that had absolutely no reasonable explanation. 

The two woman jumped to their feet, with racing hearts and gasping breaths.

Marion blinked once, then twice, taking in the scene before her, her mind racing through responses. 

The interrupted pair waiting frozen for her response. 

In the end she just settled on rolling her eyes and saying; 

“The horse has had a new shoe fitted” before swiftly leaving. 

With the fear gone certain other emotions returned and with a look knew that they were both thinking the same thing

They ran into the house, taking the stairs two at a time to the bedroom and pulling the bolt firmly across behind them…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all know what happens next ;)


End file.
